Thursday, February 03, 2011

The Super Bowl is now only a few days away. While many of us probably believe the success of the Steelers on Sunday comes down to Ben Roethlisberger, the performance of the offensive line and the team’s ability to contain Aaron Rodgers and the Packers wide receivers, some of us think differently. Whether it is wearing a specific item of clothing, shaving or not shaving, or watching the game at a certain location, if you’re a superstitious person, the Steelers winning the Super Bowl is up to you/us.

I asked a select group of Steelers fans to share their superstitions. Enjoy!

Our living room has shutters on the interior windows. Two Terrible Towels, one black, one gold, hang on the shutters nearest to the TV. The year we moved into the house was 2005, and of course the Steelers won the Super Bowl. The towels have not moved since.

Also, just after halftime of the playoff game against the Ravens, I took off my old Steelers sweatshirt (I was wearing a Steelers T-shirt underneath), just before the Ray Rice fumble that started the comeback. Needless to say, the sweatshirt is in exactly the place I discarded it that night, and if they win the Superbowl, I will throw it away and never wear it again. I kept the T-shirt on for the Ravens comeback, and also wore it during the Jets game. I will obviously wear it on Sunday.

Nick

This is not so much a superstition as it is a courtesy gesture, but I NEVER call my dad while the Steeler game is on for fear of influencing the outcome in an unpleasant way.

I really do not have any superstitions except for the jersey I wear to watch the game. If the Steelers lose with a certain jersey, I do not wear it again. I have not touched my Heath Miller jersey since the Saints game...I will be wearing my Timmons jersey for the Super Bowl because that is the one I wore for the Jets and Ravens playoff games.

I have a few superstitions and usually they vary from year to year. One of the main constants has been watching the game alone. I can’t watch a Steelers game with someone else without the Steelers losing. We are 0-5 when I do this since 2008. This Sunday, I’ll be watching it by myself. I have a particular long sleeved Superbowl XL shirt that I’ve worn most of the season and am undefeated in. That shirt will be worn proudly on Sunday. My wife isn’t permitted to watch the game. She started watching the Jets game after half time and then stopped watching it mid way through the 4th Quarter.

That is it. I tried to be inconsistent with things regarding time, drink and food so I wouldn’t kill myself with repetition this year and got lucky for a change, especially compared to 2008, where I had a about a dozen game and pre-game rituals.

I definitely believe that fans can influence the outcome of the game. Some may call it "superstition", but I'm certain that my actions have the potential to jinx the Steelers. Therefore, I follow a very specific routine to give the Steelers the greatest chance of winning.

I don't shower or bathe during the week of a Steelers' game. Back in 1993 I took a shower right before a Steelers' game, and they ended up losing the game. I'm certain that my shower caused the loss. So I stopped showering on the day of games. Then in 1995, I took a shower 2 days before a Steelers game, and they lost. Since then, I just decided to avoid showering or bathing during the entire week prior to a Steelers game.

I get a bit malodorous during the season, but it's a small sacrifice to make for the Steelers. (Sean’s Note: I really hope this isn’t true.)

Rob

I have crazy long hair for me (longest I've ever had it), I badly need a haircut, and I will not get my hair cut until after the superbowl. I am afraid to jinx the Steelers and most importantly Polamalu's play.

During the Divisional game against the Ravens, I had my football on the couch with me, but I wasn't holding it during the first half. At the start of the second half, with the Steelers trailing by 14, I started holding the football in my lap. As the Steelers mounted their furious comeback, I was told by others in the room that I wasn't allowed to move it. I held it in the same position for the rest of that game, and during the bulk of the AFC Championship game. No reason to stop now.

I always wear my Louis Lipps jersey and Heinz pickle watch and have my Terrible Towel with me for any big Steeler game. This has worked well over the years. I also generally wear a different watch during the week using the Heinz pickle watch for game days. The battery of the other watch died last month, so I’ve been wearing the pickle watch everyday. I refuse to replace the battery of the other watch since the Steelers have been on a roll since I started wearing the pickle watch daily. Some may call this laziness; I call it good luck for the Steelers!

I also plan on watching the game at our friends’ house. I watched the last two Steelers Super Bowls with them as well as game 7 of the Pens-Red Wings Stanley Cup finals. As soon as the Steelers won the AFC Championship game, it was a given that I would watch the game at their house.

1 comment:

Johanna
said...

Oh my gosh, I love this post. I had a lengthy conversation with Marc over the phone a few days before the AFC championship game about whether or not I could bring my Terrible Towel home from the office, where it had been hanging for two years. I was asking permission, since Marc is the superstitious one in the house. He hemmed and hawed and struggled and probably bit his nails. I brought it home, they won. But they won the week before as well. I and my Terrible Towel apparently have no influence over the Steelers, which makes me sad.

Now, if I were to ever WASH Marc's Towel before the end of the season, I know for sure that his head would explode.

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